VA News

 

                                  

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       Contents

Wounded Warrior Project

Free "Getting Home" DVD Offer

Research Health

 

New Email Scam Targeting Veterans In Wake Of VA Data Theft

Online Self-Screening Program For Stress

House Veteran's Committee Chairman Gags Veterans

Bush Taxes Disabled Veterans

Fraud Alert From VFW

Your VA Benefits Are Being Scrapped

House VA Panel Hearing Plan Mutes Veterans Voices

Vets May Be Denied Health Care

 

Former VA Secretary Anthony Principi Joins Wounded Warrior Project

VA Prescription Fraud Alert

VA Secretary Nicholson Adds Confusion To PTSD Review Process

Secretive VA Launches New PTSD Review

Eligibility for medicare part D benefits

VA Cash Out Refinancing

Benefits Delivery at Discharge

Second-Signature Requirements

Little Known VA Pension Benefits

Facts about VA’s National Cemeteries

VA Benefits for Survivors of Military Personnel

New Law Allows Higher Limits In VA Home Loan Program

New VA site For Veterans' Health Benefits Eligibility

Administration Expands Benefits for Ex- POWS

VA Automates Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance Application

VA Establishes Laser Eye Surgery Policies

VA Supports Project SHAD Veterans

Veterans Face Higher Risk of Gehrigs Disease

Chiropractic  Care for Veterans Approved

VA Begins Chiropratic Care

CHAMPVA and Surviving Spouses

The VA CARES Process

CARES Commission Final Decisions

VA Revises Priority for Doctor Visits

General Health Questions Regarding Gulf Service

 

  

           

 

 

 

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Wounded Warrior Project

The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is to raise public awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members to aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs.

WWP accomplishes this mission by providing programs and services to severely injured active service members and their families during the critical time between their initial rehabilitation while on active duty and their eventual transition to civilian life. WWP employs staff with over 55 years of combined experience in providing direct services to active duty service members and disabled veterans, including benefits counseling, representation before the department of veterans affairs, bringing public attention to the needs of wounded service members, and advocating for regulatory and statutory changes beneficial to veterans and active duty service members.

There are many military service organizations that provide services to active duty service members and their families, and many veteran service organizations that provide services and opportunities for fraternal interaction to veterans upon their discharge from service. However, few organizations devote their resources to assisting the severely wounded during this critical period. WWP fills this vital, unmet need, bringing comfort, support, and aid to severely injured service members and their families during this challenging time in their lives.

The Wounded Warrior Project was founded on the principle that veterans are our nation's greatest citizens. The WWP seeks to assist those men and women of our armed forces who have been severely injured during the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations around the world. Many of the injuries are traumatic amputations, gunshot wounds, burns and blast injuries that will retire these brave warriors from military service.

At the Wounded Warrior Project we provide programs and services designed to ease the burdens of the wounded and their families, aid in the recovery process, and smooth the transition back to civilian life.

Our work begins at the bedside of the severely wounded, where we provide comfort items and necessities, counseling, and support for families. We help to speed rehabilitation and recovery through adaptive sports and recreation programs, raising patients' morale, and exposing them to the endless possibilities of life after an injury. Finally, we provide a support mechanism for those who have returned home, providing outreach and advocacy on issues like debt and disability payments that will affect their families' future.

We cannot restore the lost limbs, but we can help restore to our Wounded Warriors their dignity by ensuring that they are not forgotten. http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org



   Weber's Command of the Grill(TM) Cookbook Raises Money for Charities That Directly Benefit Wounded or Killed Marines and Their Families


Launch Event to Be Held in NYC as Part of Fleet Week in May

PALATINE, Ill., April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- This May, Weber-Stephen Products Co. will release a very special cookbook, Command of the Grill -- A Salute to Steak(TM), which will feature grilled steak recipes by active, reserve, and famous former U.S. Marines. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the nationally distributed 80-page cookbook, which retails for $10, will go to four charities that directly benefit U.S. Marines wounded or killed in the line of duty and their families.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060410/CGM027-a

             http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060410/CGM027-b

             http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060410/CGM027-c )

Many of the recipes for the book were selected from 10 "Command of the Grill" grilling semi-final competitions held at Marine Corps bases across the country, including Camp Pendleton and MCB Quantico, between Oct. 14 and Dec. 16, 2005. The winners of those semi-finals will be flown to New York City to compete in the "Command of the Grill" finals and cookbook launch event on Thursday, May 25, 2006, from 7 to 9 a.m. in Times Square (at 42nd and Broadway), as a part of Fleet Week '06.

To qualify for the semi-finals, Marines submitted an original grilling recipe and explained in 50 words or less why their recipe is the best and why they should win. At the semi-final events, each Marine grilled two New York strip steaks and a panel of judges chose one winner based on creativity of the entry essay, visual appeal, and the taste of their steak.

The book will feature recipes from "honorable mentions" and winners at the semi-final events, including Captain Eric Peter Dominijanni's Disco's Hot and Tangy New York Strip Steaks. "Captain D" as he likes to be called, has been cooking since childhood. While stationed in Iraq, he was known to make paella for his troops in the back of his Assault Amphibian Vehicle. "I may have had to fight like a barbarian, but I didn't have to eat like one," Dominijanni said.

In addition to the winners' background information and anecdotes, the Command of the Grill cookbook will also feature grilling advice and tips from Weber, profiles of the four benefiting charities, grilling guides for steaks and vegetables. To further support the fundraising effort, 10 famous former Marines, who have now reached the rank of celebrity, will contribute grilled steak recipes:

     1.  Wilford Brimley- Actor; most known for his memorable performance in

         Ron Howard's Cocoon (1985)

     2.  Art Donovan- Former professional football player and member of the

         Pro Football Hall of Fame

     3.  George Jones- Country music star

     4.  Dan Lauria- Actor; most known for his role as the father in The

         Wonder Years (ABC TV Network, 1988-1993)

     5.  Ed McMahon- Legendary TV personality most well known as Johnny

         Carson's sidekick/announcer on NBC's long-running The Tonight Show

     6.  Ken Norton- Legendary boxer who won the heavyweight title from

         Muhammad Ali in 1973

     7.  Bum Phillips- Former NFL coach for the Houston Oilers and the New

         Orleans Saints

     8.  Tom Seaver- Former professional baseball player and member of the

         National Baseball Hall of Fame

     9.  Lee Trevino- Professional golfer who defeated Jack Nicklaus for the

         U.S. Open victory in 1971

     10. Jo Jo White- Legendary NBA basketball player who played for the

         Boston Celtics

All proceeds from the sale of the cookbook will go to the following charities:

     -- Wounded Warrior Project: The Project seeks to assist those men and

        women of our armed forces who have been severely injured during the

        conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other hot spots around the world.

        http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org

     -- Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund: The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund was

        formed to provide supplemental assistance to our Marines, sailors, and

        their families as they face the road to recovery.

        http://www.semperfifund.org

     -- Fisher House(TM): There is at least one Fisher House at every major

        military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that

        they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive

        environment. Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 8,500

        families, and has made available more than two million days of lodging

        to family members since the program originated in 1990.

        http://www.fisherhouse.org

     -- Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation:  The organization primarily

        renders assistance to children of Marines or Federal law enforcement

        personnel who were killed on duty or died under extraordinary

        circumstances while serving our country at home or abroad.

        http://www.mclef.org

The Command of the Grill finals will be held in Times Square from 7 to 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 25, 2006, as part of Fleet Week. In addition to bragging rights as the national Commander of the Grill, the winning Marine will take home a prize package worth more than $5,000. The prize package includes a new luxury Weber® gas grill, and a grilling lesson and dinner for him/her and 10 of their Marine buddies -- at their U.S. Marine Corps base -- with chef and best-selling author Jamie Purviance.

"We hope to raise at least a half-million dollars from this effort," said Mike Kempster Sr., executive vice president, Weber-Stephen Products Co.. "We want to show our support for brave men and women who have been separated from their families, wounded in the line of duty, and need help coping with new challenges when they come home."

Chef Jamie Purviance, best-selling author of Weber's Real Grilling(TM), Weber's Art of the Grill(TM), and co-author of Weber's Big Book of Grilling(TM) (with Sandra S. McRae), will be the lead judge for the finals competition. Purviance has been certified by the Kansas City Barbeque Society, and he serves as a judge at major competitions such as the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational. Purviance has been featured on many television shows -- including NBC's "Today," CBS's "Early Show," "FOX & Friends," and "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Bon Appetit also profiled him in the magazine's most recent list of "Who's Who in American Barbecue."

Supporting sponsors who have graciously donated their services and/or time to the "Command of the Grill" fundraising effort are:

     -- United Airlines: The Chicago-based company has donated round-trip

        airline tickets to fly all the finalist Marines and their spouses or

        guests -- plus Command of the Grill event staffers -- to New York City

        for the final competition.

     -- New York City Marriott Hotels: Six Marriott hotels in New York City

        have donated more than 100 free nights to house the finalist Marines

        and their families during Fleet Week, including hotels representing

        Marriott, Renaissance and Courtyard by Marriott.

     -- Jeep: A fleet of all-new Jeep Commander SUVs will be provided for

        on-the-ground transportation for the Marines and their families in

        New York City during Fleet Week and the Command of the Grill

        competition.

     -- FCL Graphics: The printing company, based in Harwood Heights, IL (a

        suburb of Chicago), is donating almost half the production costs to

        complete the Command of the Grill -- A Salute to Steak cookbook and

        retail display cartons.

     -- Smith & Wollensky: The quintessential New York steakhouse has donated

        a welcome reception for the finalist Marines, the charities'

        representatives, and those involved in the fundraising effort. The

        restaurant's executive chef, Victor Chavez, will be a judge for the

        finals event.

Weber-Stephen Products Co., headquartered in Palatine, Ill., is the premier manufacturer of charcoal and gas grills, grilling accessories, and other outdoor room products. In 1952, founder George Stephen designed the Weber® kettle with a lid that allows outdoor cooks to grill in all kinds of weather. A family-owned business for more than 50 years, Weber has grown to be a leading exporter of outdoor grills worldwide. Weber charcoal and gas grills are available at select home centers, Marine Corps Exchanges, hardware stores, department stores, patio stores, and other retail outlets. Weber has the strongest consumer outreach program in the industry with its all-year, round- the-clock Weber Grill-Line(SM) (1-800-GRILL-OUT®) and a content-rich website with grilling tips, techniques, and more than 200 original Weber recipes at http://www.weber.com®.


                                 Fisher House

A Fisher House is a "home away from home" for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. As of this printing, there are 35 Fisher Houses located on 18 military installations and eight VA medical centers, with another three houses under construction. The program began in 1990 and has offered more than two million days of lodging to more than 75,000 families.

Fisher House Foundation donated Fisher Houses to the U. S. Government. They have full-time salaried managers, but depend on volunteers and voluntary support to enhance daily operations and program expansion.

Through the generosity of the American public, the foundation has expanded its programs to meet the needs of our service men and women who have been wounded in the Global War on Terrorism. The foundation uses donated frequent flyer miles to provide airline travel to reunite families of the wounded and to enable our wounded heroes to go home to convalesce. The foundation also sponsors a service for creating personal web journals on the Internet to keep family and friends up to date during the hospitalization of a loved one. Called "CaringBridge," the service is free for military and veterans' families.

Families of service men and women hospitalized due to their service in Iraq or Afghanistan do not pay to stay at a Fisher House, and the foundation helps cover the cost of alternative housing when the Fisher Houses are full.

For further information about these programs, to find out about volunteering, or to make a tax-deductible gift, go to their web site at: http://www.fisherhouse.org .

You can also obtain information by writing them at: Fisher House Foundation, Inc., 1401 Rockville Pike, Suite 600, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Phone: (888) 294-8560. E-mail: info@fisherhouse.org .

                  Marine Corps - Law Enforcement Foundation

Mission: To encourage the spiritual, moral, intellectual and physical development of children through education.

This Foundation was formed in February 1995 by former Marines and law enforcement personnel who strongly believe that our nation's most precious resource is its youth.

The recent war in Iraq has certainly illuminated America's commitment to freedom. We are reminded that freedom is not free. The price is great. No one knows that better than the left-behind sons and daughters of America's fallen heroes.

Through the continuous support of our donors, we have distributed aid with a value of more than $24 million to eligible children. This assistance was primarily rendered to children of Marines or Federal law enforcement personnel who were killed on duty or died under extraordinary circumstances while serving our country at home or abroad. These funds enable us to provide these children with scholarships for their higher education. When a child of a United States Marine is afflicted with a physical or mental disability and requires special medical equipment or tutoring, our Foundation may grant financial assistance to that family if their personal insurance does not cover the complete cost of treatment for this child.

In addition to the regular program, our Foundation decided to support all American Forces and also Coalition Forces in the invasion of Iraq and taking of Baghdad from 3 March 2003 to 16 July 2003. In the past, the Foundation also included in our program the children who lost a parent from all agencies killed in the murderous attack on the Pentagon. We also decided to go back and give our bonds to children who lost a parent on the USS Cole; the children of the Air Force personnel killed at Khobar Towers; and, with great honor, the twelve children who lost their parent on the space shuttle Columbia disaster.

This assistance has had a positive, life-changing effect on many, many children. We are thankful for the commitment and support of our many members and volunteers. Because of their dedication, no administrative costs of any type are charged to our Foundation. One hundred percent of the donations received is used to fund programs for the children we serve. http://www.mclef.org


                        Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund

Since September 11, 2001, United States Marines have been on the front line in the War Against Terror. Whether fighting wars or winning the peace, Marines serve their country and their Corps with courage and commitment. Sometimes that service results in catastrophic injuries. When serious injuries occur, the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund is there to help.

The Need

Wounded Marines and sailors are given the finest medical care available, but it is their families that provide the emotional component for healing. These families share the pain and burden of recovery, but few have the resources to get them through this stressful time. They are not prepared for the personal and financial disruption that occurs when they drop everything to be with their loved one through long months of hospitalization and rehabilitation. Often, they must take leave from their jobs without pay, and incur expenses for travel, lodging, child care, and other necessities. Their need is genuine, and immediate.

The IMSFF was created to respond to this need.

Our Mission

The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund provides financial assistance to injured Marines and other service members injured while assigned to Marine forces. The goal is to alleviate the financial burden placed on the family so that their focus can be on their loved one's recovery. If the mother of a wounded Marine needs help with travel expenses to be with her son or daughter, the Semper Fi Fund is there. If the wife of an injured Marine falls behind on a mortgage payment because she left work to be with her husband at the hospital, the Semper Fi Fund is there. If a wounded Marine, whose sight was impaired from an RPG blast, needs a special magnifier, the Semper Fi Fund is there.

"Semper Fi" means "Always Faithful." That is our pledge to the heroic Marines who have been injured while protecting our nation.

The Fund

The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund was established in May 2004. A nurse at Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital, whose husband was deployed to Iraq, saw first hand the needs of those returning from battle. She brought together a group of Marine Corps spouses to implement a plan to give financial grants and needed equipment to injured Marines and their families. In the summer of 2004, General Alfred Gray, 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps, two retired general officers, and a retired sergeant major joined them.

The Fund works closely with Marine Corps, Navy, Army and VA hospitals nationwide to identify and assess the needs of specific families. Once a family has been identified, they are given a grant application. Upon submitting a completed application, the case is reviewed by a Fund caseworker and then referred to a committee for approval. Typically, assistance is provided in less than 72 hours from submission and there is no expectation of repayment.

To date, the Fund has provided more than $3 million in assistance, thanks to the overwhelming generosity of donors from across America. http://www.semperfifund.org              

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Free "Getting Home" DVD Offer

 
Triwest, the TRICARE West regional contractor, has developed a DVD to assist Global War on Terrorism deployment veterans make the readjustment home after long absences. They are offering the DVD free of charge and no cost for shipping. You can order now by going to http://www.triwest.com/. Click on the DVD icon. Order 1 or up to 1000.

 

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Research Health

 

The Research Health section of My HealtheVet is where you can get health information, research a topic, and simply learn more about your health. Read about common conditions and VA health programs. Get answers to your health questions from three vast medical resources. My HealtheVet makes it easy to stay informed by bringing a wealth of information right to your fingertips.

 

Healthy living means taking certain steps to help avoid illness... More »

 

Find fact sheets for common illnesses and conditions... More »

 

My HealtheVet provides three extensive online medical libraries... More »

 

From holiday blues to the stresses of being a soldier... More »

 

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ALERT

New Email Scam Targeting Veterans In Wake Of VA Data Theft-- "Phishing" scam uses phony VA email

address to get veterans to provide personal information.

There is a new "phishing" scam going around.

People are receiving emails that look like they are from the VA.

They use a phony VA email address.

If you click on the phony VA email address you end up at a web site that will try to get your personal information.

Remember...the VA will NOT email you and ask for information.

The VA will NOT phone you and ask for information.

If you get this email...do NOT open it.  Just delete it.

This information came to me via email.

The following information is provided to you on behalf of the Hines, Chief, Network Security & Support Section.

Regards,

Dexter M. Stockdreher
Hines ITC (SIO)
IT Specialist
708-681-6717

IRM CHIEF/ISO: Please keep your RO Director and all appropriate personnel apprised of the above information.

The Philadelphia Network Support Staff is seeing increasing reports of users receiving email from the address abuse@vba.va.gov, asking them to check an account by clicking on a link.

This email is a phishing scam, an attempt to gain personal information. The email address abuse@vba.va.gov is fake and the link in the email is to a web site in Asia.

Please notify all users of this phishing scam and instruct them to delete this email if they receive it. DO NOT OPEN the email.

Linda Kintz, CISSP
VBA SIO & NSC Coordinator
Chief, Network Security & Support Section
Hines Information Technology Center
Phone: 708-681-6985

 

 

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Online Self-Screening Program For Stress

 Concerned by rising stress levels in the ranks, the Defense Department has quietly started an online self-screening program in hopes that anonymity will help some service members and their spouses overcome reluctance to confront possible mental-health problems.

"It's an excellent tool - available 24/7 so you can do it at night when nobody's watching," said Deborah Manning, who coordinates Army substance-abuse programs at Fort Benning, Ga. "The anonymity can make a big difference to a soldier who's been trained to think, 'I'm macho. I can handle this.'"

Air Force Col. Joyce Adkins, a psychologist at the Pentagon's Health Affairs office, said several thousand people have used the Mental Health Self-Assessment Program since it went online four months ago. The program assesses answers to questions about recent behavior and mood swings. If the responses indicate possible trouble, it suggests options for seeking help.


The effort is among the latest of numerous military initiatives undertaken to cope with stress, depression and other mental-health problems that have proliferated since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan led to tougher overseas deployment schedules.


The Army, for example, has assigned combat stress teams to units in Iraq following an increase in suicides among soldiers there. Service members returning from Iraq have been required to complete a survey used to decide who might need further psychological help; a recent Pentagon study found that a third of them received counseling.

The new online program is aimed at members of all military branches, whether or not they have been in war zones, and also at their families.


"The stress has been astronomical in the last couple of years," Manning said. "And it may be more so for family members left behind - wondering, worrying, sitting there watching as CNN takes you there (Iraq) live."

Tom Angelo, a sonar technician who helps run substance abuse programs at the Navy's submarine base in Bangor, Wash., said the self-screening program provides an opportunity for a service member's spouse to seek help in a private, low-key manner.


"There's still some underlying stigma that we have to overcome - a lot of people who don't want to mess with their husband's or wife's career," he said. "This online process definitely opens up more of an opportunity."

Stress unquestionably has been increasing at his base, Angelo said.


"Ships and subs deploy more often - people are asked to do more with less," he said. "There's a lot more anxiety and depression, especially with the younger guys, the newlyweds, guys with newborn babies. Half the time you never know where you're going or when you'll be back."

The online program, developed by a nonprofit group called Screening for Mental Health, is divided into subsections addressing depression, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, bipolar disorder and alcohol abuse. It is free and confidential; participants are asked about deployment records and military status but not for any details that would identify them.

"It's a first step for people wondering, 'Do I need help?'" said Joyce Raezer of the National Military Family Association.

Still, while Raezer commended the military for trying to expand support programs for family members, she questioned whether resources are sufficient, noting a nationwide shortage of child psychiatrists as an example.

Stephen Robinson, legislative director for the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, is more critical. He said questionnaires, whether completed online or at group screening sessions, are inadequate substitutes for individual face-to-face encounters with mental health professionals.

The online program "is well-intentioned but not well thought-out," he said. "I doubt it will produce any measurable help for soldiers."

Adkins, however, said it is impossible to provide face-to-face screening and counseling at every moment that a service member or relative might need it.


The online option, she said, "is always available. You don't have to go anywhere. You don't have to have child care or change your clothes." Even some soldiers in Iraq have used the online screening, she added.

The Pentagon is committed to the program at least through the next fiscal year and plans to introduce a Spanish version, Adkins said.

"Everybody agrees there's more stress out there," she said. "The best thing we can do is acknowledge the stress and find ways to alleviate it."

-
On the Net:

http://www.militarymentalhealth.org/welcome.asp

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House Veteran's Committee Chairman Gags Veterans

Arthur H. Wilson, DAV National Adjutant
 
Some in Washington don't seem to care what veterans have to say.  For decades, our elected leaders have allowed veterans groups the opportunity to present testimony before a joint session of the House and Senate Veteran's Affairs Committees.
 
During the joint session, disabled veterans from around the nation met with their state's officials in Washington and the DAV members' constitutional rights to petition the government were honored before the decisions makers for veterans issues.
 
But last November, House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Steve Buyer (R-Ind.) flushed this long-standing tradition down the pipes.
 
To make matters worse, in January, the hearings schedule was a bitter disappointment for veterans advocates.  The first veterans organization hearings are scheduled for Feb. 8 - just two days after anticipated release of the President's budget proposal.
 
Given barely two days of preparations, veterans service organizations are expected to submit a comprehensive written testimony responding to the budget by noon on the same day the President's budget is released.
 
What's worse is that Chairman Buyer has imposed a pathetic three-minute limit on the budget by VSOs.
 
The Chairman's clear intent is to mute criticism and waylay opinions on funding levels and policies in the President's budget.
 
It defies comprehension why Chairman Buyer, who has himself served, is so blatantly disrespectful of his fellow veterans who've given so much to their country.
 
What will the future hold for our veterans serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan if, while they are in battle, their lawmakers close dialog with veterans groups?  What chance does this new generation of severely disabled veterans have if our nation's leaders are willing to throw away the traditions that influenced the level of care we've fought to achieve?
 
When it comes to the President's budget, one has to wonder with great trepidation about what lies in store for veterans.  After all, the Chairman's schedule is clearly designated to limit feedback on the budget.  The fact that we will have just two days to review the document and research a response shows a level of insensitivity that recalls the days of the National Economy League, where promised benefits to Spanish-American and World War I veterans were deemed "excessive spending."
 
Only, today our opinions and insights are devalued and ignored at the same time that our men and women in uniform are risking their lives in a time of war and returning from service with disabilities they will face for the rest of their lives.
 
If our noble organization is allowed just three minutes to testify on the President's budget and a broad range of policy implications for veterans, it seems only fitting that our lawmakers hear 1.3 million telephones ring and get 1.3 million letters reminding them that disabled veterans-and voters-demand to be heard.
 
Contact your Congressman, Senator and the White House today to demand the return of the Disabled American Veterans testimony before a joint session of the House and Senate Veteran's Affairs Committee with sufficient time to fully discuss the federal budget and a wide range of public policy issues vital to disabled veterans and their families. 

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Bush Taxes Disabled Veterans

 

Since the year 2000, Bush has had a veto threat against HR 303 in the House of Representatives.
As a result of this veto, over 500,000 disabled veterans who have retired from the service must continue to pay for their own disability by having their disability payment directly deducted from their own personal retirement pay. This is known as the veterans disability tax.

The next time you hear Bush speak of support for the military, and to veterans in general, know that he is a liar of the worst sort. Next time you see Bush or have a question to ask him, ask him why he forces over 500,000 disabled veterans to pay for their own disability.

The speaker of the House, Representative Hastert from Illinois, each year keeps HR 303 locked in committee to prevent a vote on passing of concurrent receipt legislation for disabled veterans. This is being done while there are currently over 214 cosponsors of this bill. This is per orders of the Bush administration to halt this legislation, so that the president would not have to suffer the embarassment of a veto.

In the mean time Bush will travel the nation telling all he can about how he supports the troops and what a noble thing it is to serve our nation, and how indebted we are to this nations veterans.

About all one can truly say about Bush is that he is a common criminal, and a perfect example of the present "PARTY OF CORRUPTION" which controls all three branches of our government.

Please write Bush and your members of Congress and ask them to pass HR 303 at the earliest possible date. Hastert still has this legislation locked and stalled in committee, as he has since the year 2000 per orders from Bush.

Write your Congressman today. 

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Fraud Alert From VFW

  I recieved This today and checked it out with the VA. This message is from the VFW however, I have been informed by a contact in DC that the VA is due to realease a simular warning. The contact info in the origional message is not to be used. I posted the necessary contact info at the bottom.

Warning from the DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

For your info.

Gordon W Morgan

Subject: Service Officer Alert - "Veterans Affairs Services"

The VA General Counsel has notified us that an organization called "Veterans Affairs Services" appears to be holding itself out as a recognized service organization; it is not a recognized service organization. This organization may be assisting veterans and others to file claims and, in the process, obtain personal information. The GC has asked us to ask you to report any contact you may have had with "Veterans Affairs Service".

The following info IS NOT TO BE USED

If you have any examples of "Veterans Affairs Service" helping veterans or other claimants file claims with VA please call Fred Burns, Assistant Director, at (202) 608-8367. Please be prepared to provide at least the name and telephone number of the veteran when you call Mr. Burns.

The General Counsel message is shown below:

"An organization called Veterans Affairs Services (VAS) is providing benefit and general information on VA and gathering personal information on veterans. This organization is not affiliated with VA in any way. This site can be found at

http://www.vaservices.org/us/index.html (Note that they use the VA Seal).

The Following comes from the department of Veterans Affairs:

 The site is not approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The contact number or e mail is erroneous. It is the contact for the VFW. If anyone has given any information to these people they are to contact the following:
 
Office of General Council thru the Federal Information Center at 1-800-688-9889, or the Inspector Generals Office at 1-800-488-8244.
 
This information came from the Department of Veterans Affairs. I was contacted almost immediately by phone due to the" concern for the privacy of our veterans."
 

                               Charlie Black:   webmaster.brothersboundbyhonor.com            

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Your VA Benefits Are Being Scrapped!

                  Read Story
 
 
VVA statement to congress on redefining the term service connected,etc.

 

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House VA Panel Hearing Plan Mutes Veterans’ Voices

WASHINGTON—An overhaul of legislative hearings announced by the chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee seems deliberately designed to marginalize the influence of the nation’s veterans on funding levels for the Department of Veterans Affairs and other important public policy issues, according to the Disabled American Veterans.

Last November Committee Chairman Steve Buyer (R-Ind.) decided to end a decades-long tradition that gave veterans groups the opportunity to present testimony regarding a wide range of legislative priorities before a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees. The DAV and other organizations tried, unsuccessfully, to get Rep. Buyer to reinstate those joint hearings, which they viewed as an invaluable tool in formulating public policy toward America’s veterans.

When the new schedule of hearings and their format were announced in January proved to be even more disappointing to veterans, DAV National Commander Paul W. Jackson sent a letter of protest to Chairman Buyer.

The first of those hearings is scheduled for February 8, just two days after the anticipated release of the President’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2007 on February 6, and copies of written testimony from veterans service organizations must be submitted to the Committee by noon that very day. The Chairman also imposed a three-minute limit on oral remarks by representatives from veterans organizations, each of which could invite no more than five persons in the audience.

Both the timing of the hearings and the absurdity of a three-minute limit for oral remarks make it all too clear that Chairman Buyer is not interested in a meaningful dialogue with the veterans community,” said DAV National Commander Paul W. Jackson.

“How could the Chairman expect us to analyze and comment on the President’s budget request before it is even made public? Or is it his intent to blunt criticism and suppress diverse points of view regarding funding levels and policy initiatives in the President’s budget?” Commander Jackson said.

“The revised schedule for hearings and the change in format amount to a slap in the face of individual veterans as well as the groups that represent them in the public policy arena. Chairman Buyer has slammed the door in the face of America’s veterans,” Commander Jackson said.

The 1.3 million-member Disabled American Veterans, a non-profit organization founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932, represents this nation’s disabled veterans. It is dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for our nation’s disabled veterans and their families. For more information, visit the organization’s Web site http://capwiz.com/dav/utr/1/GLKPFKECAD/CNDMFKECCG/588061086.

 

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WASHINGTON - At least tens of thousands of veterans with non-critical medical issues could suffer delayed or even denied care in coming years to enable President Bush to meet his promise of cutting the deficit in half - if the White House is serious about its proposed budget.

After an increase for next year, the Bush budget would turn current trends on their head. Even though the cost of providing medical care to veterans has been growing by leaps and bounds, White House budget documents assume a cutback in 2008 and further cuts thereafter.

 

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,89556,00.html?ESRC=eb.nl

 

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Former VA Secretary Anthony Principi Joins Wounded Warrior Project

 ROANOKE, Va., -- The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), a nonprofit
organization dedicated to assisting the newest generation of severely
injured service men and women, today announced that former Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Anthony J. Principi has been elected to
serve on its Board of Directors. A combat decorated Vietnam Veteran with
two sons currently